Feed tray for duplicating apparatus



April 9; 1946.l

A. E. LITTLE 2,398,315

FEED TRAY FOR DUPLICATING APPARATUS Filed June?, 1944 2 sheets-sheet 1 X "i B ya@ gwmugWM/d. @s

AP 9, 1946 A. E. LITTLE 2,398,315

FEED TRAY FOR DUPLIGATING APPARATUS- Filed June 5, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @dal Patented Apr. 9, 1946 FEED 'ran' Foa nurmcarmo upm TUS

Alfred E. Little, Chicago, lll., assigner to Ditto, Incorporated, Chicago, Iii., a corporation oi' West Virginia Application June 3, 1944, Serial No. 538,626

7' Claims.

This invention relates to duplicating apparatus and more particularly to a feed tray for duplicating machines having a side guide that is adjustable step by step in order to align the copy sheets before they are advanced tothe duplicating drum with the particular portion of the drum to which the sheet is to be applied. For many duplicating operations it is desirable to feed several narrow sheets in succession to the drum at different longitudinal positions with respect to the drum, the duplicating apparatus itself having means whereby different portions of a master sheet on a drum "will be exposed to the successive copy sheets. Y

My invention is an improvement upon the apparatus shown in application Serial No. 523,632, filed February 24, 1944, by Hubert Jagger `and myself for Feed tray for duplicating apparatus."

It is the principal purpose of this invention to provide a simplified mechanism whereby step by step advancement of the side guide across the feed tray is effected by an electrical controll which is selectively operable manually or from the drum of the machine.

The nature and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully as the description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is shown. It is to be understood however that the drawings and description are illustrative only and are not to be taken as limiting the invention except insofar as it is limited by the claims. i

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a bottom view of the feed tray of a duplicating machine having my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; f

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the feed tray and side guide in section and showing the electrical connections by which manual or automatic operation of the side guide is accomplished.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, in Fig. 1 a feed tray I0 is illustrated. This feed tray is mounted on two side frames I I and I2 of a duplicating apparatus which is-essentially the same as that shown in Fig. l of the drawings of the application hereinbefore ldentiiied. The feed tray is constructed of sheet metal and is provided with a transverse' slot I3 through which connection is made from a side guide I4 to a block I5 that is the side guide I4. The feed tray has on the under surface thereof two bars I6 and I1, these bars being in part reinforcements for` the feed tray and in partguide means for the block I5. An angle iron I8 is also secured to the under surface of the feed tray alongside the bar I1.

The block I5 has a pinA I9 thereon to which one end of a tension spring 20 is secured. The tension spring is threaded over three pulleys 2l, 22 and 23 that are mounted on the under surface of the feed tray. The other end of the spring 20 is anchored to a plate 24 that is secured to the under surface of the tray. The spring, being under tension, tends to draw the block I5 and with it the side guide I4 to the left as illustrated in Figs. 1 and2.

My invention concernsitself with the means whereby the force of the spring 20 may be con-` trolled so as to cause step by step movement of the side guide at the will of the operator or at each rotation of the duplicating drum.v

On the block I5 I mount a bell-crank lever 25. The lever is pivoted upon a headed post 26 that has a reduced end threaded into the block I5. The bar I6 is provided with uniformly spaced notches 21 and the lever 25 has a pawl tip 28 adapted to engage in the notches 21 and serve as a stop to prevent the spring 20 from moving the side guide I4 and the block I5. In order to i hold the pawl tip 28 in position to engage in a' notch 21 that is presented thereto I Wind a spring 29 aboutthe post 28. One end of the spring is hooked under a pin 30 provided in the lever 25 while the other end of the spring hooks onto a pin 3|. that is mounted on the block I5.

The lever 25 has its depending arm 25a pivoted to a bifurcated end portion 32 of a solenoid 33. 'I'he solenoid extends into a coil 34 that is mounted by suitable brackets 35 and 36 upon the block I5. It will be evident that if the coil 34 is energized so as to attract the solenoid 3 3 and draw the solenoid into the coil it will rock the lever 25 in a counterclockwise direction from the position shown `in Fig. 2 to bring the pawltip 2B out of a notch 21 in which itis located. It is also obvious that owing to the Vshap'e of the pawl tip 28 the block I5 and the side guide I4 can be moved to the right as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 against the pull of the spring 20 without interfering with the normal control operation which is accomplished by energizing the coil 34. Thus the side guide can be manually moved to starting position at the will of the operator, and so long as the solenoid coil 34 is not energized the pawl adapted to be moved to change the position of tip 28 will be forced into the rst notch 21 that the other lead 38 branches into two leads 48 and4 4I, the lead 4I going to a micro-switch 42 whose operating arm 43 has a roller 44 thereon positioned to engage a cam 45 which is xed on the drum shaft 48. The function of the cam 48 is to engage the roller 44 and momentarily close the micro-switch once for each rotation of the drum. When the micro-switch is closed it establishes connection from the branch lead 4i to a lead 41 thatgoes to a three position two-pole switch 48. The lead 48 also goes to this switch but it connects to a branch lead 49 that goes to a manual control switch 58.

The coil 34 is connected by a lead 5i to the switch 58. There is also a by-pass connection 52 from the lead 5I to the switch 48. This connection includes two terminal portions 53 and 54 that are connected to two adjacent contacts of the switch 48.

In operation, assuming that the operator desires to manually control the step by step movement of the side guide I4 across the feed tray I0, the two-pole switch is left in the open position shown in Fig. 4. When the plug 31 is connected to a source of current the operator, in order to energize the coil 34, merely closes the switch 58 momentarily and this completes the circuit from the lead 38 through the coil 34, the lead 5I, the

switch 58, the branch lead 49 and the branch' lead 48 to the other power lead 38. Upon ener- It is believed to be evident from the foregoing description that the present device gives the operator full control of the side guide I4 so that he may manually step it from one position to another by actuating the switch 58 whether or not the switch 42 is connected in circuit. 'I'his is because the two switches are in parallel with each other and both are in series with the coil 34. Likewise the operator can energize the coil 34 by means\ of the switch 48 so as to keep the pawl tip 28 down out of position to engage in the notches 21 v at all times;

From the foregoing description it is believed that the nature and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

1. Side guide adjusting means for a feed tray of duplicating apparatus, comprising a block attached to the side guide, a' member fixed to the feed tray and having a row of notches thereon gization of the coil 84 the solenoid 33 is attracted and this in turn actuates the lever 25 to pull the pawl tip 28 out of one of the notches 21. The spring 28 then moves the block I5 and the side guide i4 to the left. Of course, as long as the switch 58 is closed the pawl tip 28 will be held retracted, but if the switch is only momentarily closed the spring 28 will return the lever 25 into position to cause the pawl tip 28 to drop into the next succeeding notch 21 and thus stop thel side guide I4 at the desired position.

In the event that automatic operation of the side guide in connection with the rotation ofthe drum is desired the switch 48 is closed in such manner as to connect the branch lead 41 to the branch lead 54. coil 34 under the control of the micro-switch 42 so that each time the cam 45 engages the roller 44 there will be a momentary energization of the coil 34.' This will attract the solenoid 33 and cause it to release the pawl tip 28 from the notch 21 in which it is located so that the spring 28 can advance the side guide to the left. If at any time the operator desires to manually adjust the side guide I4 across the tray he may do so by closing the circuit for the coil 34 by means of the switch 48 to maintain the coil'34 energized at all times and thus prevent the lever 25 from being effective. In such case of coursev the side guide I4 can be moved freely in either direction that the operator desires. plished by having the Vtwo-pole switch 48 arranged to connect the branch lead 53 to the branch lead 48. The leads 38 and 5I are shown in Fig.l

as paired in la common covering. 'I'hey are formed into a coil A so as to give suicient length positions of the side guide.

This puts the circuit for the- This result is accoml extending transversely of the tray, a spring pressed lever mounted on the block and having a pawl tip thereon adapted to extend into said notches, spring means connected to the block and urging it across the tray, a solenoid mounted on said block and having a movable core permanently, pivotally connected to the lever whereby when the solenoid is energized the pawl tip is retracted to free the block for movement across the tray, and switch means controlling the energizing of said solenoid.

2. Side guide adjusting means for a feed tray of duplicating apparatus, comprising a block attached to the side guide, a member ilxed to the feed tray and having a row of notches thereon extending transversely of the tray, a spring pressed lever mounted on the block and having a pawl tip thereon adapted to extend into said notches, spring means connected to the block and urging it across the tray. a solenoid mounted on said block and having its core connected to the lever whereby when the solenoid is energized the pawl tip is retracted to free the block for movement across the tray, and switch means controlling the energizing of said solenoid, Said Switch means including a manually operable switch and a switch adapted to. be operated by a moving part of the duplicating apparatus in paralle1 with the manually operable switch.

3. Side guide adjusting means for a feed tray of duplicating apparatus, comprising a block attached to the side guide, a member xed t0 the feed tray and having a row of notches thereon extending transversely of the tray, a Spring pressed lever mounted on the block and having a pawl tip thereon adapted to extend into said notches, spring means connected to the block and urging it across the tray, a solenoid mounted on said block and having its core connected to the lever whereby when the solenoid is energized the pawl Atip is retracted to free the block for movement across the tray, and switch means controlling the energizing of said solenoid, said switch means comprising a normally open switch operable to momentarily close and energize the solenoid and a second switch in parallel with the first named switch operable to maintain the solenoid continuously energized.

4. Side guideadjusting means for a feed tray of duplicating apparatus, comprisingv a block attached to the side guide, a member xed to the feed trayand having a row of notches thereon extending transversely of the tray, a spring pressed lever mounted on the block and having a pawl tip'thereon adapted to extend into said notches, spring means connected to the block and urging it across the tray, a solenoid mounted on said block and having its core connected to the lever whereby when the solenoid is energized the pawl tip is retracted to free the block for movement across the tray, and switch means controlling the energizing of said solenoid, said switch means comprising a switch having actuating means positioned to engage a moving part of the duplicating apparatus and operable to momentarily close andenergize the solenoid, a normally open manually operable switch operable to momentarily close and energize the solenoid, and a three position two pole switch operable to connect the first named switch in parallel with the manually operable switch and to establish a continuous energization of said solenoid by passing both of the other switches.

5. Side guide adjusting means for duplicating apparatus feed trays, comprising means for urging said guide across said tray, a holding member on said tray having a row of holding formations thereon, a cooperating holding member on said guide having holding means thereon engageable with any one of said holding formations, resilient means urging said holding means into holding position, and .means for retracting said holding means, comprising a solenoid mounted on said guide having its core connected with said holding means to retract the same upon energizationI of said solenoid, and switching means controlling the supply of energy to said solenoid including a manually operable switch and a switch adapted to be operated by said duplicating apparatus in 6. Side guide adjusting means for duplicating apparatus feed trays, comprising means for urging said guide across said tray, a holding member on said tray having a row of holding formations thereon, a cooperating holding member on said guide having holding meansthereon engageable on said tray having a row of holding formations thereon, a cooperating holding member on said guide having holding means thereon engageable with any one of said holding formations, resilient means urging said holding means into holding position, and means for retracting said holding means, comprising a solenoid mounted on said guide having its core connected with said holding means to retract the same upon energization of said solenoid, and switching means controlling the supply of energy to said solenoid including means for momentarily energizing said solenoid actuated by said duplicating apparatus, manual means for energizing said solenoid for a period determined by the manual operation of said means, and means for independently continuously energizing said solenoid. 

